


Back to the Future

by MythicMittens



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, I pretty much just needed Luke and Anakin to meet way back when, Time Travel Fix-It, also if you're looking for anidala it's pretty mild here so yeah, casually plops one more time travel fix it fic atop the pile, essentially set right before ep 3 after the clone wars tv series but with a few things changed, really hoped i would have thought of a better title but nope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:42:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicMittens/pseuds/MythicMittens
Summary: Luke doesn't make it off the second Death Star before it explodes, but instead of dying, wakes up in the past. He saved his father once, now... maybe he has a chance to save everyone.





	1. Chapter 1

It was too late.

Much too late for Luke to make it off of the Death Star and far enough away to escape the blast. That meant, of course, that he’d die. For some reason, though, he couldn’t bring himself to be frightened. He didn’t want to die, but he took comfort in the fact that his friends on Endor were safe and the Emperor had been defeated. Many accomplished much less with their lives than he had in a few short years.

The part that irked him most was that he’d never be able to give his father a proper burial, that no one, not even Leia, would know that he had turned back to the light as his last act.

Blinding light surrounded him, and he closed his eyes. Then, nothing.

–

Luke came back to consciousness slowly, very confused. Confused, mostly because he was definitely not dead, like he certainly should be. Opening his eyes and looking around didn’t help anything, as he did recognize his surroundings, but it was not a place he had ever been.

It was Coruscant.

But something was wrong with it. Or perhaps… right? He couldn’t see any banners with the Imperial insignia, and no stormtroopers or uniformed officers. Groaning, he got to his feet, feeling sore all over. He wondered if it was the residual effects of the Emperor’s lightning or something to do with his current predicament. Suddenly, a spike of pain shot through his skull and down his spine and he cursed, clutching his head.

“Hey, are you alright?” A voice behind him asked, cutting through the pain. He turned around slowly as the discomfort faded, facing the man. He was young, couldn’t be that much older than Luke was himself, and he seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t describe. For a moment, he was reduced to staring, looking for clues to help solve the mystery.

“Anakin, what are you- Oh, I’m sorry.” Another man approached the two of them, slightly older and bearded, and stopped when he noticed Luke. “Who is this?”

Anakin. Suddenly, a few pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The man in front of him was Anakin Skywalker, his father, before he had become Darth Vader.

“I don’t know,” Anakin replied with a shrug. “He was collapsed on the ground just a moment ago.”

“Right. Well, we better get you to a medcenter, then.” The other man turned to him, and Luke realized who he was.

“Ben?” He asked absently, barely aware he’d spoke. He didn’t know why he was surprised to see him, from the way he had spoken of Anakin, the two had been close. But something about it seemed off... Maybe because he had only ever been able to imagine what Anakin might have looked like, but he had known Ben, and this man seemed nothing like the crazy hermit or the sorrowful, lonely Jedi.

The surprised, slightly suspicious look on Obi-wan’s face tore him from his thoughts, and he realized his slip. “I mean, you’re Obi-wan, aren’t you? And Anakin?” He asked awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. Maybe he could get out of this by acting like a weird fan; the older Rebels had always talked about seeing Skywalker and Kenobi on the holonet…

“Yes, I am… Did you hit your head?” Luke wondered if he should be insulted, by the question, but it seemed like a pretty safe way to explain why he had been passed out on the ground just a few minutes ago. He nodded, swaying when the action made him dizzy. “Well, to the medcenter, then.” Obi-wan said firmly, gently taking hold of his arm and making it clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Not that Luke was about to argue; he felt utterly terrible, and a trip to a medcenter sounded great.

–

Neither Anakin nor Obi-wan could say what compelled them to wait around while the medical droid examined the young man they had found earlier. In making sure he had received proper care, they had done their duty, and should have returned to the temple… But, there was something strange about this young man. The Force told them that he meant no harm, but it moved strangely around him. There was something hidden, something important, and they both felt it. To Obi-wan, it was like a secret the Force was keeping, a mystery yet to be solved. It intrigued him, but he knew it would be revealed in time.

However, “waiting” was never Anakin’s style. He could feel his frustration at not knowing, and reflected sadly on how quick to anger he had been since Ahsoka had left the Order. Not for the first time, worry coursed through him. It seemed as if none of his teachings were getting through.

The medical droid exited the exam room and entered the hallway where they waited, wasting no time in getting down to business.

“The patient has recently been exposed to significant electrical discharge as well as other factors that I am unable to successfully identify. The patient is also unable to tell me the time, date, or the specifics of his current location. No diagnosis available.” Obi-wan raised one of his eyebrows. He was out of luck if he had been hoping for answers here. The next sentence the droid spoke only raised more. “He also had this on his person.” The medical droid held out an unfamiliar lightsaber. Obi-wan let out a breath in surprise, but before he could truly comprehend it, Anakin had taken the lightsaber and rushed in the room.  
“Anakin, wait!” He shouted, following.

–

Luke finished getting redressed, stretching a little as he did. Whatever was in the hypo the medical droid had given him had worked miracles, and he didn’t feel at all cloudy or drugged, as he had worried.  
He had a moment to himself to think about his current situation after the droid left. There was no doubt about it. He had traveled back to the past rather than dying after the Death Star exploded. He didn’t really bother thinking about how, as the technicalities of the situation wouldn’t really help him now. But, he knew he must be here for a reason. With the knowledge he had of the future, he could change everything. He could stop the Empire from ever existing...  
His reverie was broken when the door suddenly slid open and his father approached him in a few quick strides, shoving his lightsaber in his face. Luke blinked in confusion, pulling back. He didn’t know he had had it, so he hadn’t noticed when the droid had taken it. The last he remembered of it, he had tossed it away rather than use it on his father.

“Where did you get this? Who did you steal it from?” His father-Anakin, he thought. If he was going to get through this without giving himself away, he had to think of them as Anakin and Obi-wan- demanded. For a moment, his anger frightened Luke. It was so different from Vader’s. It seemed… scattered and uncontrolled where Vader’s had seemed so focused and deliberate. Still, he pushed the emotion down. Surely the Force wouldn’t save him from death, only to send him to the past to die?

“It’s mine! I made it.” He said defensively, trying and failing not to be offended. Belatedly, he realized he should have lied, but it was too late now. He doubted he could think of a good enough lie anyways.  
That did not seem to be the answer Anakin had expected and it visibly threw him off guard. Obi-wan put a hand on his shoulder and he stepped back.

“You’ll excuse us if we have doubts. Could you at least tell us your name?” Obi-wan asked, the clear order hidden by a soft voice.

“Luke Skywalker,” he replied immediately, and then almost swore. He really needed to stop telling the truth without thinking. Problem was, he was a terrible liar. They both gave him dubious looks, Anakin’s was mingled with… something else. “And I can prove it’s mine.” He took a moment to calm his mind and the lightsaber floated out of Anakin’s hand, dismantling it in front of him and putting it back together.

Anakin looked stunned, Obi-wan thoughtful. “You’re a Jedi?”

Luke made a face. As much as he had proudly proclaimed that to the Emperor, he wasn’t so sure it would hold up to two actual Jedi from the actual Republic. He wasn’t exactly trained to their standards… “Er, yes?”

Obi-wan nodded and Anakin crossed his arms. “He called you Ben… Why?”

Now it was Obi-wan’s turn to look awkward. “I’ve been known to use it as a code name before… though that doesn’t explain how he knows it.” He shook his head. “What are you doing passed out in the middle of Coruscant? Whose padawan are you?”

“I… don’t know.” Luke said, putting his face in his hands. It was technically the truth, but it sounded like a bad lie. He really needed to think of some sort of strategy, but none was forthcoming. The Force had brought him here for a reason, he just hoped his path became clearer with time.

Obi-wan shifted and gave Anakin a look. “We should take him back to the temple.”

Whatever worry Luke had was washed away by that. “The Jedi Temple?” He asked, somewhat awed. He’d wanted to see it as soon as he learned of its existence, but he hadn’t imagined he’d ever really get his wish to see what was left of it, anyways. Now he was going to see it in its prime!

The duo looked at him not for the first time as if he was a strange and exotic animal that has just learned to speak Basic. He looked down at the ground uncomfortably. How was this harder than anything he’d done in the past few years? He briefly entertained the idea of just telling them the truth, but he figured he’d save that for when he knew he was well and truly without other options.  
“Right, well… let’s go?” He asked, running a hand through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my first fic in like... years. I've always liked writing casually, but inspiration is hard for me to hold on to. I'm kinda sensitive about my writing, since I just write for fun, so in other words... Please be gentle, I am Soft.  
> Everything is written out, I just need to edit it and post it, so it shouldn't be too long of a wait between chapters. Also, for reference, the events take place essentially right before Episode 3, except Padmé is already pregnant. Contains some Clone Wars tv show stuff, but you'll probably be fine if you haven't watched it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke is brought to the Jedi Temple, meets the Council, continues to lie terribly, and fakes amnesia.

Luke found himself wishing that he knew more about the Clone Wars. What history he did know was cobbled together from Imperial propaganda and exaggerated stories passed through many different Rebels. He tried to get a rough estimate of the date based on the technology he saw, but failed. So much had changed, and so much had stayed the same…

All other thoughts were driven from his mind when he first caught sight of the Jedi Temple from the speeder. He froze, taking every detail in with awe. He knew he was gaping at it, and felt a little embarrassed. It reminded him of when he had first left Tatooine, when every plant and body of water caused him to melt into a pile of curiosity and wonder. But, he couldn’t feel too bad about it. This was the _Jedi Temple,_ after all!

Anakin looked at him, a slight smirk on his face. He was still quite clearly suspicious of Luke, but he seemed to have softened towards him a bit. Maybe he had felt like this when he had first seen the temple. “Impressive, isn’t it?” He remarked.

Luke nodded. “I just... never thought that I’d get to see it.” He tried not to wince when Anakin shifted away, and he knew he had raised his suspicions again by saying something weird. The rest of the speeder ride was silent, which Luke was thankful for; he couldn’t say the wrong thing if he said nothing at all.

Luke longed to look around and explore the temple, but he knew that was unlikely. Flanked on either side by Obi-wan and Anakin, he was immediately led to a large chamber with many different people sitting in many different seats. Out of them, he only recognized Master Yoda, but that didn’t surprise him. It wasn’t like he knew an abundance of Jedi.

Obi-wan began explaining to the Council, but Luke couldn’t help but find his mind drifting. Looking out the window and seeing the buildings and speeders going by, he realized once again the situation he was in. He was on Coruscant, in the past, in front of the Jedi High Council at the Jedi Temple! As mystical as it all was, the Council didn’t exactly meet his expectations, his imaginings. He had expected larger than life beings who held the answer to every question… but they seemed much more like ordinary people. With a bit of a grimace, he realized they couldn’t have lived up to his expectations _and_ perished as they had.

Suddenly, he realized he had been asked a question, but didn’t know the specifics of it. “I’m sorry, what?” He shifted his weight, uncomfortable. He wasn’t exactly making the best first impression, was he?

A dark skinned Jedi whose name he did not know gave him a withering look. “You are not known to us, and therefore no Jedi. I’ll ask again; who are you? Who trained you?”

Luke took in a quick breath and made a decision. “I’m Luke Skywalker,” he said, really wishing he’d thought of an alias. “And… beyond that, I don’t know.” He hoped his frown and confused expression looked sincere, but looking at the council members, both real and holo projected, he couldn’t tell if they bought it or not. “When I came to a bit ago, I just couldn’t remember anything...”

Whether they believed or not, no further questions were asked of him, for which he was grateful. He was dismissed, along with Anakin, while the council discussed among themselves. Luke hadn’t missed how his father had stood to the back of the room, distant both emotionally and physically. He wondered whether the rift between him and the council had always been there, or if something had happened to cause it. Sighing, he cursed his lack of information. He didn’t even know when or _why_ Anakin had become Darth Vader.

The two of them waited in the hallway outside the council chambers, awkward silence lingering between them.

“So, I uh, I’ve heard a lot about you.” Luke said, daring to break the silence. It was certainly true; he’d heard many stories of Anakin Skywalker’s adventures, not to mention the horror stories about Darth Vader passed around in the Rebellion.

In response Anakin merely scowled, and Luke guessed he hadn’t fallen for his “amnesia” routine. He couldn’t help but think that his father didn’t seem very Jedi-like. But considering who he became, he supposed it made sense.

After a few more uncomfortable minutes, Obi-wan emerged from the council chambers. “I’ve been asked to take you to our healers. Hopefully, they can find some way to help you.” He said, stroking his beard. Luke worried that a Jedi healer might be able to see right through him, but he couldn’t think of way to object without drawing suspicion. Nodding, he followed Obi-wan.

The healer was very kinda and gentle, which Luke was thankful for. He didn’t think he could have gone through a second medical examination in one day if she had been as impersonal as the medical droid. He could tell that she too was suspicious, but by now he was getting used to it. She spent a long time looking at his prosthetic hand, with the damaged synth skin that he hadn’t managed to repair yet. Eventually, she seemed satisfied and called in Obi-wan and Anakin. Luke wondered if they had been assigned to him or if it was their own curiosity that kept them around.

“Well, there’s nothing I can find wrong with your mind, but there definitely is something strange going on. First, I’ve never seen a prosthetic hand like yours. Where did you get it, and how did you lose your hand?” She asked, gesturing to his arm.

Time to bring out what would surely become his signature response. “I don’t remember...” He said, staring at the ground. Maybe if he didn’t look at anyone, his lie would work better.

“I see.” The healer said, disbelief evident in her voice. Well, that didn’t work. Still, she didn’t press the issue, moving on. “The other major oddity I discovered had been noted by the medical droid whose report I received, but I focused on it more. The droid noted that you had been exposed to electricity, but I was able to discern that it was not just any type of electricity. It was Force lightning.” Luke looked up in surprise, meeting equally shocked expressions from Anakin and Obi-Wan. She could _tell_ that? How in the galaxy could he explain this? “Almost enough to kill you.” She finished. _Sounds about right,_ he scoffed mentally.

“Only a Sith Lord has that kind of power.” Obi-wan said, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

“Dooku?” Anakin asked, glancing at Luke for a moment with confusion. He was clearly wondering how Luke had gotten away if that was the case. He tried not to be offended, as he was used to being underestimated, but coming from his father, it stung a little.

“Who?” Luke asked, unable to stop himself. The name sounded vaguely familiar, like he’d heard it a long time ago, but he couldn’t place it.

Obi-wan shot him a disbelieving look before striding over to a Holonet terminal, bringing up an image of the man. “Count Dook, Sith Lord and leader of the Seperatists.” Luke tried to look thoughtful, as if he was considering if this was the man who had attacked him, but something in his expression must have given him away.

“If not Dooku, then who?” Anakin questioned, looking confused.

“His master, then. The one for whom we have been searching.” Obi-wan replied seriously.

Luke swallowed hard. This was getting too close to the truth for comfort, and he couldn’t imagine how they’d react if they knew about Palpatine. He couldn’t give anything to them, not yet. “Sounds dangerous… I’m sorry I can’t help you more.” It was a weak response, but Anakin and Obi-wan were focused more on each other.

“Yes, well, perhaps when you recover we will have the answers we need.” Obi-wan said, his voice surprisingly gentle. Luke stood, trying to smooth out some wrinkles in his clothing. How long had he been wearing the same thing? He was sure he smelled awful. “In the meantime, the Council has seen fit to allow you to stay at the temple. Though I hope you understand that we can’t exactly allow you to move freely. There is too much strangeness going on to not take precautions.”

Luke nodded. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t trust himself in this situation either. They took him to a small, simple room, where he immediately flopped face down on the bed.

This had certainly been the most confusing day of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos, I love getting them! <3  
> Also just a heads up, this is a pretty short story, like 10k words. But I have a lot of ideas for this AU, so I might end up writing some ficlets as well. I really wanted Luke to meet Rex and Ahsoka but I couldn't figure out how to make that happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke sneaks out of the temple, meets his mom, and the truth comes out.

The next few days passed quietly. Luke wasn’t exactly a prisoner, but he wasn’t exactly allowed free rein either. Still, he learned a lot during those few days, not all of it pleasant. Yoda had of course told him about the rules against attachments during his training on Dagobah, but Luke hadn’t imagined it was very strictly enforced, given that his father had fathered children… Now, he found that Anakin was very much the exception. He couldn’t imagine living a whole life, never allowing strong connections, bonds to form. Luke had no idea where he’d be without Leia, Han, Chewie and the droids. It didn’t seem right to force anyone to go without that support, that love, even if it was in service of the greater good.

Which brought him to the other point he had. The “younglings…” he hadn’t realized they would be quite so _young._ The children he’d seen in the temple were much too young to remember their parents, remember where they came from. As much as Luke had hated Tatooine, he’d had a good childhood with Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen. That these children wouldn’t get that same opportunity tugged at him in ways he couldn’t explain.

Maybe this was part of why he had been brought back here. To change the Jedi Order for the better. He was sure it had to change, or be destroyed.

Briefly, Luke wondered where his father was. He’d seen much of Obi-wan the past few days, as he’d been quite willing to keep Luke company. But he hardly seen his father at all… If he wasn’t at the temple, where would he be? … With his mother? It seemed likely, but Luke wasn’t really sure he knew where to start looking, as he didn’t even know her name. He’d been so caught up in the idea of his father as a Jedi Knight that he hadn’t even thought to ask Obi-wan about her until it was too late. He felt slightly guilty about this until he realized that he could meet her _now._

Well, none of this would matter if he didn’t find a way out of the temple without arousing suspicion first… Slipping out of his room, he found the corridor empty. Taking a breath, he concentrated and used the Force to pull an inconspicuous aura around himself. He was taking a bit of a risk, as he’d never used this around other Force sensitives, but no one stopped him, or even really looked at him, so he figured it must have worked.

Luke got far enough away from the temple that he felt like he could stop for a moment, and closed his eyes. He tried to locate Anakin’s presence in the Force, but there were so many more people than he was used to dealing with and he couldn’t get a good feel for it. And he’d thought the rebel bases had felt crowded with life…

He opened his eyes after a moment and caught a glimpse of what he thought to be the back of his father. After following for a while, he was sure it was him. Luke either had exceptional luck, or more likely, the Force wanted this to happen. Continuing to follow, he tried to remember all he could on how to subtly track a target. It felt kind of wrong, but what else was he supposed to do? Ask him if he was romantically involved with anyone and kindly request their name?

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he realized he’d lost Anakin. He swore quietly and looked around, managing to catch a glimpse of him slipping between two large towering buildings. Luke bit his lip and tried to decide what to do. It’d be pretty hard to disguise that he was following if he went after him, but otherwise he had no hope of knowing where he was going. Luke took a short breath, following after a moment of hesitation. However, he wasn’t quite prepared for the scene in front of him.

At the end of the alley, a woman with dark hair stood in his father’s arms while they passionately kissed. Luke shifted awkwardly and looked at the ground knowing this was certainly meant to be private. Before he could decide what to do, however, Anakin broke off the embrace and was on him in a moment.

“What are you doing here?!” He growled. Luke was pushed against the wall, an arm across his chest to restrain him.

“I, uh…” What excuse would possibly work here? “I won’t tell, I promise!”

Anakin clearly didn’t believe him. The woman had moved closer to them, extending an arm. “Anakin, it’s alright, let him go.” She said in a calming tone.

“Stay out of this, Padmé!” Luke spared a look over at her. Padmé was her name then. His mother’s name. “I’ll ask again. What are you doing here?” The arm restraining him moved upwards, putting slight pressure against his throat. Not enough to hurt, but the threat was there. Luke suddenly realized that he was actually in danger. He hadn’t realized how close Anakin was to the dark side before. It seemed like one push was all it would take.

“I’m your son.” He admitted before he could convince himself not to. Anakin merely looked at him like he was crazy, but the arm restraining him relaxed, and was then pulled away. He took a step back but continued to give off a vaguely threatening aura.

“What?”

“Search your feelings, you know it to be true.” He had to bite his lip to keep from smiling at using his father’s own words against him. Still, the words seemed to have their desired effect. He could feel him gently probing at the edges of Luke’s mind.

“… How is that possible?” All anger was gone and he slumped, incredulous.

“It’s… a long story.” Luke relaxed, running a hand through his hair. “I kind of traveled back in time? I don’t know how. I was about to die and I just woke up here…” He shrugged. “I know there must be a reason. I think the Force brought me back here to fix things, to change it so that the future I know doesn’t come to pass.” He sighed. “I know this is weird, but it’s the truth.”

His mother has moved closer to them while he had been focused on Anakin. She gently placed a hand on his arm. “I believe you.” She said softly. “It’s far too ridiculous to be a lie, and you seem so… familiar.” She smiled and Luke felt warmth, comfort. If nothing else, the whole ordeal had been made worth it by this one smile.

“I, uh… I’m Luke Skywalker.” He wondered how weird it was to introduce yourself to your own mother. “I don’t know your name…”

Anakin seemed angry at this, but Padmé answered right away. “I am Padmé Amidala. I always liked the name Luke…”

“How could you not know your own mother’s name?” Anakin asked, crossing his arms.

“Well, I wasn’t raised by either of you. I only knew my father’s name and not much else until a few years ago.” Luke admitted, giving an awkward smile.

“Who raised you, then? Did the Jedi Order take you from us?” Anakin asked, his voice dangerously low.

Luke shook his head and was about to answer when Padmé spoke. “This is hardly the best venue for such a conversation. Perhaps we should go to my apartment.”

Nodding, Luke agreed. “I’ll tell you both everything. I don’t know if it’s the best idea, but it’s the only one I’ve got.” He paused a moment, thinking. “I think Obi-wan should be there. This is his story too.”

Anakin looked conflicted. “If he’s there then he’ll know…”

“We couldn’t hide it forever, Ani…” Padmé said reassuringly, wrapping an arm around him. He nodded, but looked unconvinced.

“Well then, let’s go.” He said flatly, pulling away from Padmé to walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo maybe editing and posting these at like 4 or 5 am every day isn't the best strategy, but it's good enough. Shrug.  
> I kinda struggled with whether Luke to have been told who his mother is or not, but I figured there really isn't anyone who would have known for sure and had the desire and ability to tell him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke has some explaining to do and Anakin gets a hug he's needed since like... forever.

The speeder ride to Padmé’s apartment was fairly quick, but it gave Luke time to think about how he was going to explain this. So far, his parents seemed to believe him, but he wasn’t sure how far the fledgling trust would go. He wasn’t sure what he _should_ tell them, either…

When they got to the landing pad of the apartment, Luke spotted a familiar face. For a moment, he didn’t let himself believe it; after all, there had to be countless gold protocol droids. A moment later, he was sure of it.

“Welcome home, Mistress Padmé. Oh my, who is this?” Threepio asked, turning to Luke.

“Threepio?” He asked with a grin. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here!”

“I am sorry, sir, but I don’t seem to recall you.” Threepio responded, sounding somewhat confused.

“Well, technically we haven’t met yet…” Luke looked around. “Wait, does this mean Artoo is around here somewhere?”

“You know Threepio and Artoo?” Anakin asked, shifting slightly and crossing his arms. It was obvious he hadn’t quite adjusted to the situation yet. Luke couldn’t blame him.

“Uh, yeah!” He replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “I met them just before I left Tatooine. They’ve been with me since. I never knew they knew you two, though. Artoo said he fought in the Clone Wars, but he never said with who!”

“Tatooine?” Anakin’s presence seemed to darken with the mention of the planet.

Luke nodded. “It’s where I grew up. I was raised by my aunt and uncle Beru and Owen Lars.”

“Lars?” Anakin asked, recognition in his face. “But why them? Why on _Tatooine?_ ”

“Are we… dead?” Padmé broke her silence, sadness evident on her face. Anakin hadn’t seemed to think of this, and she put a hand on his arm in response to the shock and pain on his face. “In this future of yours?”

Luke nodded and stared at the floor. “Well…” How in the galaxy could he explain this to them? “I grew up thinking you both were dead. It was a long time before I learned my father was alive. By that time I understood that I had been… hidden. For my own good.”

“Hidden? From who?” Anakin took a step forward, away from Padmé.

Luke knew he couldn’t delay it any longer. He looked up, straight into his father’s eyes. “From you… and the Emperor.”

Anakin reared back as if struck, but any reply he might have made was silenced when the doors slid open, revealing Obi-wan. “What is going on? What is he doing here?” He asked, gesturing to Luke. “He’s supposed to remain at the temple.”

Luke had completely forgotten that he had requested Obi-wan to come, too absorbed with his parents and the droids. He hadn’t even thought of how to break the news to him…

“Um. Well, I was lying before when I said I didn’t remember what happened.” He began.

“That much was obvious.” He replied dryly.

“Well, the truth is much harder to believe than any lie I could have told. I didn’t know what else to do.” He ran a hand through his hair, sitting down on a nearby couch. “I’m from the future… and I’m their son.” Luke looked to Anakin and Padmé.

The room was completely silent for a minute while they waited to see how Obi-wan would react.

“That’s… simply ridiculous. And quite impossible.” He didn’t specify which part of the statement he was referring to.

“I would have thought so too, before a few days ago. I was about to die, I knew I was, but after the explosion I woke up here… Millions of lightyears away and in the past.” He shrugged. “I don’t claim to know how or why, but I’m here.”

Obi-wan shifted his gaze to Anakin and Padmé. “You believe this?” They nodded. “Then… you’re pregnant?”

“A few months.” Padmé answered, looking to Anakin.

Obi-wan sank into a chair, head in his hands. “I knew you two were close… too close. But not _this_ close.”

“What will you do?” Anakin asked, barely restrained fear in his voice.

“I don’t know. I need… to know more.” He lifted his head to look at Luke, understanding in his eyes. “You called me Ben before, you recognized me. You know me in this… future?”

“Yeah.” Luke couldn’t help the grin that formed. “You lived near me on Tatooine, but I never really knew you until Artoo showed up with a message to Obi-wan Kenobi. I thought maybe Ben Kenobi would know who that was, but turned you out to be the same person.” The grin fell from his face when he remembered all that had followed. “You told me about my father, the Jedi and the Force. When my aunt and uncle were killed, I went with you to learn the ways of the Jedi. But… soon after that you were killed.” He tried to reassure himself that if he succeeded here, none of these people would die. He knew he could make it right.

Obi-wan looked confused. “How old were you when this happened?”

“19.”

“19?! You were 19 before you ever even heard of the Force?!” Anakin exclaimed, seeming deeply offended.

“There’s something you have to understand… In the future, there is no Jedi Order, there is no Republic. There is only the Empire and the Emperor.” Luke said grimly.

The room sat in a horrified silence for a few moments while Luke gathered his thoughts. “Not all is lost, though! The Emperor and… his apprentice… were defeated before I was brought here.” He avoided mention of his father for now, figuring there was only so much information one could take in a short period of time. “But as far as I know, I am the only Jedi.”

“How can that be? How does it happen?” Obi-wan asked desperately.

“I… don’t know exactly. The rise of the Empire is shrouded in secrecy and propaganda. I believe the only people who know exactly what happened are those who were there, and they are either dead or too afraid to speak.” He sighed. “The Empire’s official stance is that the Jedi attempted a coup and tried to assassinate the Chancellor. Because of this, they were destroyed and the Empire was formed. The Chancellor became the Emperor.”

“You don’t mean… Chancellor Palpatine?” Obi-wan asked warily.

Luke nodded. “Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith. The Sith behind everything. It was always about his quest for power.”

“No…” Anakin said, taking a few steps back. “It can’t be. He’s… he’s not.”

“Honestly, it makes sense…” Obi-wan admitted, stroking his beard. “I feel ashamed for never noticing.”

“The senate has grown less powerful as Palpatine has only gained more…” Padmé agreed. Still, she looked conflicted.

“We must tell the Council immediately.” Obi-wan said, standing up.

Luke held out a hand to stop him. “I urge you to wait, at least until I have finished explaining… There is more you don’t know and it will be dangerous enough with all the information.”

Obi-wan paused for a moment, but seemed to agree, as he sat down again.

Luke glanced at his father, who was silent and staring at the floor, before continuing. “I know much of what I’ve said has been hard to hear, and I’m afraid there’s more that is only going to be harder… But I ask you just to listen and try to understand.” Luke sighed and stood up, trying to resist the urge to pace. It wouldn’t be any more fun to tell them this than it would be to hear. He moved to look out the window, unable to look at them.

“Growing up, my aunt and uncle wouldn’t tell me much about my parents. It was only after I pestered them that they told me that my father had been a navigator on a spice freighter.” Luke smirked to himself. “Later, Obi-wan told me that he had been a Jedi Knight, defender of peace and the Republic. I had never been so proud, so sure that I could follow in his footsteps…”

He closed his eyes and paused. “Obi-wan also told me that my father had been killed by Darth Vader. At the time, I knew nothing more of Vader than the average person could learn from the holonet. He was the Emperor’s apprentice and right-hand man. He had appeared right after the end of the Clone Wars, in a life support suit from some unspecified attack or accident.”

“The first time I saw him was from far away, but he was terrifying… Tall, in black. His mask was made to resemble a skull.” Luke swallowed, taking a breath. Even years after it had happened, it was hard to talk about. Knowing Darth Vader was his father had only made his feelings more complicated. “We were on the Death Star, a battle station capable of destroying entire planets. We had been pulled in by tractor beam, and Obi-wan had gone to disable it. I had gone with a friend to rescue the princess of Alderaan. When we returned to the ship, I saw Vader from afar, from fighting Obi-wan. Then, in an instant, Obi-wan was dead. I thought that my dreams of being a Jedi died as well. I would have thrown myself at Vader and probably died as well if my friends hadn’t pulled me onto the ship. I joined the Rebellion and ended up firing the shot that destroyed the Death Star.”

Luke spared a glance back at Obi-wan, who looked appropriately somber, before starting again. “Darth Vader hunted me for years. I always thought his obsession had been due to the fact that I had destroyed the Death Star and that I was a fledgling Jedi. It was only after he set a trap for me that I, unfortunately, flung myself headfirst into, that I truly learned why.” He turned back to them, but couldn’t look any of them in the eye. “Darth Vader hadn’t killed Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader _was_ Anakin Skywalker. He was my father.”

Padme gasped, hand over her mouth, and both Obi-wan and Anakin immediately stood.

“You _fell_? You became a Sith?” Obi-wan’s words had a hint of venom in them and Luke stepped forward, between them.

“You can’t blame him for crimes he hasn’t yet committed!” Luke insisted. “I think this is why I’m here!” He looked straight at his father, a soft smile on his lips. “To stop you from falling. To stop any of that from happening.”

Anakin just looked devastated. “I would never… I _could_ never.”

His father spoke with such vehemence that Luke knew that was what he believed. This would be so much easier if he had known how it had happened, _what_ had made him turn… But he would just have to make do. “If it helps, you’re very different from him…” Darth Vader and Anakin were also similar in so many ways, but he figured that wouldn’t help reassure his father. He moved closer and reached out, unsure of what to do. After a moment’s pause, he closed the gap and hugged him. His father was stiff in his arms. “I knew there was good left in him, and I was right. He saved me from the Emperor and saved the galaxy. I would be dead if there wasn’t any Anakin left in Vader.” Finally, his father relaxed and Luke felt a hand rest at the small of his back. Luke closed his eyes. He had never imagined that he would get this opportunity.

The sound of the door opening and closing caused them to end the embrace. “Obi-wan left… He’ll tell the Council.” Anakin made to follow him.

“Let him go.” Luke said, shifting slightly. “It’ll be alright.” Still, he couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about this…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is essentially the chapter I wrote the entire fic for. For some reason I just love characters having to explain stuff that happens in the future to the people in the past.  
> Also once again it's 5am and I like barely looked over this before posting, please forgive grammatical errors and what not. My philosophy is that as long as the readers can understand what I'm trying to get across, it's good enough.  
> Thanks so much for comments and kudos!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke explains some more and Anakin continues to be angsty.

“There’s one more thing I have to reveal, but don’t worry, it’s good.” Luke said, sitting back down on the couch. His father still looked distraught, staring down at the floor while Padmé tried to comfort him, her hand on his shoulder. Luke averted his eyes; he’d only known this version of his father for a short time now, but something told him he wouldn’t want to be seen in this state. “I have a sister. You’re going to have twins.” He couldn’t stop a grin from forming, despite the melancholy atmosphere of the room.

“Twins?” Anakin asked, looking up. Some of his depression seemed to dissipate, replaced by uncertainty. “I don’t even know how to raise one child, let alone two!”

Padmé smirked, leaning against Anakin slightly. “What’s her name? What is she like?”

“Leia. She looks a lot like you, actually.” He replied, studying her face. “She took after you a lot, it seems. She was a senator too. Well, until the Emperor dismantled the whole thing.”

Padmé looked thoughtful and Anakin smirked slightly. Not all of the pain was gone from his eyes, though. “Leia Skywalker. Has a nice ring to it.”

Luke shook his head. “Leia Organa.” He corrected.

“Organa?” Padmé had a fond smile on her face. “As in… Bail Organa?”

Luke returned the smile, nodding. He had never met Bail, but Leia had spoken of him enough that he had gained a secondhand admiration for the man. The smile faded when he remembered what had become of him, what had become of the whole of Alderaan. “It was thought best to separate us, for safety, so he and Breha took Leia in. I only recently found out she was my sister.” Luke grimaced slightly. “Though I certainly wish I would have known earlier. It would have saved me from some awkwardness…”

If they wondered what he was talking about, they thankfully didn’t ask. Luke didn’t think he could explain the kiss without dying of embarrassment.

“Uh, she’s Force sensitive too, if you were wondering.” Luke ran a hand through his hair, sighing a bit. “I didn’t get much time to explain before I had to face… Vader.” Luke didn’t miss his father flinch out of the corner of his eye. “I hope she’s alright. I wonder… is everything just going on without me? Do they think I’m dead?” Luke stood and went back to look out the window, feeling restless. “Maybe I am dead. Maybe this is some weird Force afterlife…” Luke shook his head, trying to clear himself of such thoughts. Self doubt would do him no good now.

His words seemed to have had an effect on his father, who had seemingly sunk back down into melancholy. “I hurt you, didn’t I? I hurt many people. Why? Why did I do it?”

Luke wished he had the perfect words to say to make it all better, but he didn’t. He only had the truth. “I don’t know. There was never time… I never really got to know him. I wanted to know, too. Why he fell.” He turned back to face his father. “But it doesn’t matter now. He turned back to the light in the end and you don’t ever have to walk his path.”

Anakin shook his head. “I… I can’t become that. If I ever even get close, you need to destroy me.” He looked up directly into Luke’s eyes, pain and determination evident on his face. “Promise me.”

Luke took an automatic step back, shocked. “No! I won’t kill you. I wouldn’t then and I won’t now. Never.”

Padmé looked similarly horrified. “How could you say that, Ani?”

“I’d rather die than hurt those I love. I’d rather die than become a monster.” He replied darkly.

Luke winced, and _almost_ felt the urge to defend Darth Vader. Monster or not, he was still his father… Still, he had a feeling that wouldn’t go over too well.

“Those aren’t the only options, you know.” Padmé said soothingly, rubbing a hand along his back.

Luke moved to sit right in front of his father, focusing all his attention on the man. “I said this to Obi-wan, but the same goes for you. You can’t blame yourself for crimes you haven’t committed yet. _You_ didn’t do those things. You didn’t hurt those people, you didn’t cut off my hand-”

“I cut off your hand?!” He exclaimed, absolutely horrified.

Luke made a face. That wasn’t what he wanted him to take away from that. “No, _you_ didn’t. Not yet, anyway. You can maybe say that you have the willingness to do it, somewhere deep down, but you can always choose not to.”

Anakin opened his mouth to reply when the doors to the apartment slid open, revealing three Jedi. Luke recognized them all from the Council and swallowed. This was serious. He supposed they hadn’t taken the information Obi-wan had given them very well. Luke wasn’t sure he could find it in him to blame them, but he did feel a little… disappointed.

Padmé and Anakin untangled themselves with a precision and speed Luke could only guess came from practice. He felt a bit of pity then; love shouldn’t have to hide.

“Skywalker.” The man at the head of the group said, nodding towards his father. If Luke remembered correctly, he was Master Windu. “And… Skywalker.” He turned his attention to Luke. “The Council requests both of your presences.” If his tone didn’t make it clear that this was an order, the unlit lightsaber in his hand certainly did.

Luke frowned slightly. The air was very tense, as if either side expected the other to leap to action at any moment. He didn’t know why they expected a fight…

His father stepped forward and in front of him, hand going to the lightsaber at his hip. Oh, that’s why. He had known from Anakin’s behavior around Padme that he had a very protective nature, but he hadn’t really imagined that applying to him, the fully grown son from the future he had only met days before. The thought pleased him in a way, but he knew he had to step in before any number of things could happen. He placed his hand on his father’s arm, pulling it away from the lightsaber. He gave him a quick look of “please,” before walking to stand by the other Jedi.

And then, something unexpected. A determined expression passed over his face and in an instant he had ran and leapt from the balcony, into the speeder traffic below. Luke stood gaping, though he could tell the other Jedi were not quite so surprised. He wondered briefly if this was how his friends felt when he did something stupid and reckless. If so, he was going to apologize a million times; it was not a pleasant feeling.

Luke swore he heard someone mumble something like “Why’d there have to be _more_ Skywalkers…” as they moved to leave the apartment.

“Wait a minute!” Padmé said, having recovered from her own shock at watching her husband _jump off a balcony._ “You have no legal right to hold him or take him anywhere. As a citizen of the Republic-”

“With all due respect, senator, if what he says is true, he is not a citizen of the Republic.” Windu interrupted, sounding almost… amused? Perhaps he didn’t believe Luke.

“Padmé… Mom?” He tried them both out, but neither seemed quite right. “I’ll be fine, it’s okay.”

Padmé looked like she still wanted to press the issue, but Luke gave her a pleading glance and she withdrew.

Luke just hoped this was all the bad feeling had been trying to warn him about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love getting your comments and kudos, thanks so much!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin has an idea, and Luke talks to the Council.

As Anakin raced through the underworld of Coruscant, the irony of the situation was not lost on him. Not long ago, it had been his Padawan running through these lower levels and he had been the pursuer. Perhaps this was just what he deserved; for not protecting her, for letting her go...

He shook his head, dodging into an alley to catch his breath. Maybe she had been right to leave after all. It had broken his heart to see her go, but now he couldn’t be sure it was the wrong choice.

He couldn’t be sure of _anything._ Hours ago he had believed himself incapable of turning to the dark side, incapable of hurting others in the ways Luke described. But the more he thought about it, the more a small part of him told him that yes, he was. He remembered every time he has surrendered his ideals in pursuit of protecting someone he loved, every time he had touched what he now recognized was the dark side. So far, he had always come back from it, pretended it hadn’t happened… but he had been _so close._

He didn’t have time to wallow in self pity, though. He made peace with the fact that his days with the Jedi Order were done. Knowledge of his wife and unborn child would have been enough to guarantee his expulsion, but add everything else in the situation… he would be lucky if they wouldn’t imprison him in the temple for the rest of his life.

He wouldn’t blame them, honestly. But he couldn’t let that happen just yet; he had to do what he knew the Council could not. He had to defeat Palpatine. Only then would Padmé and his children… be safe. Only then would the Republic be safe.

–

So, once again, Luke stood awkwardly in front of the fully congregated Jedi Council and wondered what in the galaxy to say. His parents and Obi-wan seemed to believe him easily enough, but there had been a personal connection. He could sense that this room held a good deal more skepticism.

“An interesting story, Obi-wan has told us.” Master Yoda said. Luke couldn’t help but remark at how much the years had changed the Jedi before him into the one he had met on Dagobah.

“I know you have no reason to believe me,” he began, looking around the room, “but you have to. The fate of both the Jedi and the Republic rests on the decisions we make now.” He noticed Obi-wan wouldn’t meet his eye, but Luke didn’t blame him for telling the Council; though it certainly would have been easier if he hadn’t. He had spent the previous years dreaming about the Jedi Order and the Republic, that now that he was here, it was almost… disappointing. If nothing else, he could see why things had turned out the way they had. It just made him more determined to change it.

The room remained silent, and Luke tried not to get too frustrated. “Look, where I come from, even talking about the Jedi is enough to get you arrested, even _killed._ Before this, I had only ever met two other Jedi. I am basically the last Jedi.”

“Even if this is true, what would you have us do?” Windu asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Well, uh…” Luke hadn’t gotten that far. He didn’t really have a plan, everything had just… happened. He frowned. “I don’t know. Unfortunately, the historical records regarding this time period are… unreliable. I don’t know exactly what happened, so I don’t know what to avoid.”

“You claim the Chancellor is a Sith. Surely we would have noticed that much.” Windu had a slight smile on his face, but no humor in his voice.

“ _That_ much, I am sure of. I have… been in Palpatine’s presence.” He tried to resist a shudder, but failed. “It is unmistakable. I urge you not to confront him at this time; he has always claimed that the Jedi attempted to assassinate him, which leads me to believe that trying to face him would not go well. If he is anything like he was in my time, he is powerful, but arrogant.”

“Perhaps even more troubling is the news of Skywalker’s turn to the dark side. He always had a problem with attachments, but to go so far as to marry and father children…” Ki-Adi-Mundi didn’t _quite_ cluck his tongue in disapproval, but seemed close to doing so.

Yoda nodded. “Expelled from the Order, he will be.”

Luke bristled defensively, standing up straighter. “That’s not fair!” He couldn’t bring himself to care about the slight whining in his tone.

“You have fought the Sith; clearly you must understand the need to be vigilant against them. Attachment leads to the dark side, as it clearly did for your father.” Well, at the very least they seemed to be accepting the truth now... Luke wasn’t sure if he should be happy or not.

“Attachment- _Love_ \- is what saved the galaxy!” Luke winced slightly at how very cheesy that sounded, but pressed forward anyways. “Love is what convinced Vader- _Anakin_ \- to come back to the light. I would be dead at the Emperor’s hand without it.”

“Existed for thousands of years, the Jedi Code had. Change it now, we must not.” Yoda said, eyeing him in a way he recognized all too well; he had used it right before Luke had left for Bespin to save his friends. It meant that he thought Luke was going against the ways of the Jedi.

Luke shook his head, taking a slight step forward. “The Jedi Order has to change, or it will be destroyed.”

“Much emotion, have you. Like your father, you are.” Luke wasn’t quite sure whether to take this as an insult or a compliment. Still, Yoda seemed to be considering his words.

Luke opened his mouth to reply when a figure slipped into the council chambers. He recognized them from his short time staying at the temple, but didn’t know their name. “I apologize for the interruption… but we have just received word that Chancellor Palpatine has been killed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter, though I'm just gonna post them both tonight!  
> As always thanks for kudos and comments!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin follows through on his plan, and we jump to the new future created by his actions.

If Anakin’s plan was to work, it would take some good acting, but he was sure he could pull it off. He could do anything if it meant the safety of those he loved.

Still, he had to be careful. If Palpatine suspected a hint of the truth, the whole thing would be over before it began. He stopped outside the Chancellor’s office, trying to collect his thoughts. Luckily, he had… _experience_ sneaking around the Senate building to see Padmé, so he was sure he hadn’t been spotted. He sped up his breathing on purpose, messed up his hair for effect and entered the office he was so familiar with. How could Palpatine sit here, pretend to love the Republic, all the while plotting its downfall? He bit down on his tongue to silence the thought, replacing it with generalized distress.

“Ah, Anakin… What is the matter, my boy?” Concern was written all over his face, but Anakin knew it was false. He wondered how he had never noticed the barely restrained dark glee, the almost possessive feeling lingering over him. In that moment, Anakin knew he surely would have bended to this man’s will and thanked the Force for sending his son.

“They- They found out. The Jedi Council found out!” Anakin breathed, hoping that the fear and despair he was radiating was cloaking his true thoughts. The emotions were certainly real enough.

“About Senator Amidala, you mean?” Palpatine clarified gently. Anakin couldn’t help but throw a startled look at him. He knew about Padmé? Every moment with this man frightened him more and more. He used his emotions, feeling guilty about it, but strongly believing what he was doing was right.

Palpatine sat on the couch and gesturing to the seat next to him. Anakin remained standing, and in fact, started pacing. “I-I don’t know what to do! They’ll take away my Knighthood.” He paused. “They’ll take away my child!”

“Don’t worry, my boy, I won’t let that happen.” Palpatine stated, almost like he truly believed it.

“You won’t?” Anakin frowned, stopping his pacing. So far, this was going well, but he had to keep his guard up while not _seeming_ like his guard was up. “But… what can you do?”

A smile, that to anyone else, might have been pleasant. “More than you might think. I have more power than I appear to.” Palpatine paused a moment, perhaps thoughtful. “You could, too.”

Anakin turned away. “I don’t want power! I just want…” _Love. Family. Acceptance. Belonging._

“Not even the power to protect those you love? To end this war, to bring peace to the galaxy?” Palpatine’s tone was almost… scolding.

“I… What would I have to do?” He looked down, not able to look at this man that he had considered a mentor, a trusted friend. He had been so wrong, and the evidence was right here.

“Pledge yourself to me, and… to the dark side of the Force.” Palpatine’s voice was lower, rougher than the voice he had usually used with Anakin. It took everything he had to looked shocked at that statement, backing away.

“You… you’re the Sith Lord…” Anakin breathed, feeling his back hit the wall. The distance felt good, but he needed to be closer to end this.

Once again Palpatine paused. “Yes,” he admitted. “And what would you do with this information?”

“I… There is no place for me among the Jedi any longer…” That much was true, he knew. “All I want is for my wife and child to be safe…” Also true. If Palpatine wondered about how quickly he accepted the fact, he didn’t mention it.

“And so they shall… if you agree to become my apprentice.” He said.

Anakin could sense the gloating in his voice as he took the few steps forward, kneeling in front of him. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, his knees locking up and practically rebelling as he did so. “I will… Master.” In the past, he had often had trouble reconciling that title with his childhood as a slave, but had grown to accept it, especially after becoming Obi-wan’s padawan. But now… the word was almost physically painful to say.

He looked up into Palpatine’s eyes, and knew that his plan had been found out. The man finally sensed his hostility, the dangerous intent he had been trying to hide behind a storm of emotion. Luckily, it was far too late for him. In a movement so quick Anakin was barely aware of doing it, his lightsaber was in his hand, lit, and plunged into Palpatine’s midsection. He knew it was wrong to take pleasure in his the death of this man, no matter how vile, but he couldn’t help it. He would never admit it, but it had felt a bit like killing the part of him that could have become… Like _that._

–

Immediately after receiving the news, Luke collapsed in the council chambers. _I’m dying._ He thought with certainty for the second time in a week. His vision whited out, but he could feel movement around him, a hand on his arm.

“Luke?” Obi-wan’s concerned voice called.

He wanted to reassure him, tell him it was alright, but his mouth wasn’t working either. But deep down, Luke knew it _was_ alright. He was sure that he had done what he came here to do, and now it was his time. He had accepted death on the Death Star, and he accepted it now, knowing he had made the galaxy a better place. His consciousness faded to the sound of his name being called, again and again.

–

Luke woke up, and realized he was not dead. _Again._ He groaned and refused to open his eyes. What now? What more could _possibly_ be expected of him?

“Luke?” A voice called. A very familiar voice. He opened his eyes, shooting upright and almost falling right back over from dizziness.

There she was. Leia. He grinned wildly and immediately enveloped her in his arms. “Leia!” He exclaimed. He was back! But… did that mean he hadn’t changed anything? That it had just been a dream? But how had he gotten off the Death Star then?

“Luke, what’s wrong?” Leia asked with a bit of a laugh in her voice, before turning serious and pulling away. “You were fine one moment, and then you just collapsed. Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”

“I… I don’t know…” He answered truthfully, looking around the room, He didn’t recognize his surroundings; this wasn’t Endor and it wasn’t any Rebel base or ship he knew of. “Where are we?”

At that, Leia looked very concerned. “Okay, I’m going to get Mom, you’re worrying me.” She left the room quickly, leaving Luke alone to contemplate things.

Clearly, something was very wrong… or right. The last thing he had remembered was being in the Council chambers and hearing the news about Palpatine, and then… nothing. Now, he was back here, wherever _here_ was. Whether here was good or bad had yet to be seen, but seeing Leia’s face had reassured him of fears he didn’t even know he had.

A moment later, Leia returned, another petite brown haired woman in tow. Luke immediately recognized her, the years having not changed her much, and understanding filled his mind. He had really had changed things. His mother was still alive, and now that he focused, he could feel his father’s presence as well as Han and Chewbacca’s, though theirs were more distant.

Luke broke out into a grin, which simply caused both his mother and sister to frown again. Padmé put a gentle hand to his forehead, feeling for any bumps. “Maybe we should go to a medcenter.” Leia suggested.

Luke shook his head, grin still spread across his face. “No, I’m fine! I just need uh, I need to access the holonet.” The two women exchanged dubious looks. “It’s very important!” He said seriously, trying very hard to not sound like someone with a concussion or other brain injury. It must have worked somewhat, because Padmé nodded and went to talk to Anakin, and Leia led him to a terminal. Luke dove in, immediately noticing how unrestricted it was. He searched everything he could on the end of the Clone Wars, and even just on skimming he confirmed what he had thought. He was in the alternate timeline that had been created by his trip to the past. Luke settled in, trying and failing to ignore Leia’s worried presence. He would reassure her later, after he knew exactly what had happened.

It appeared that the Chancellor had been killed by an unknown force user, assumed to be Dooku, and the Republic had nearly fallen into chaos. However, gradually, the fighting between the Separatists and Republic slowed, ending with the death of Dooku at the hand of someone named Asajj Ventress. With his death, not only did the Confederacy crumble, but many secrets came to light. Palpatine’s true affiliation came to light, as well as many of his plans, namely the clones and Order 66. A clone trooper named Rex had done some digging after the death of one of his men, Fives, and discovered the plot behind the biochips. Every clone had theirs removed, though ultimately, production of clones was ceased. With the knowledge that both sides had been manipulated by Palpatine, and with no one to lead them, the war simply… fizzled. It wasn’t over in a day, but eventually a treaty was signed that recognized both the Republic’s right to exist, as well as any planet or system's right to not join it. Reform on the inside of the Republic was harder, but by then people were terrified at how close Palpatine had come to being a dictator, at how they had voted for him every step of the way, and sought to limit the power of any one person and to hold senators more accountable for their actions. It wasn’t perfect, and was in fact very messy, with pockets of corruption and power seeking appearing time to time, but faith in the system was higher than it had been in a long time.

Finding information on the Jedi Order was harder, as they seemed just as secretive, but he eventually found out what he wanted to know. Anakin Skywalker had indeed been expelled from the Order, and it seemed that not much had changed… until he noticed that many of the newer initiates were older than was allowed, and even saw mention of a few Jedi who had gotten married publicly. It had seemed that the older leadership of the council had remained steadfast, but as younger members filled empty positions, certain views had softened.

Leia who thankfully had remained silent for a while, leaned over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. “History? Now I know something’s wrong with you. You hate history.” She teased, some concern still evident in her voice.

Luke smiled sheepishly. “I’m fine. I just had to check something, I’m sorry to worry you.”

She was not buying it. “Uh-huh. Why don’t you go lay down?”

He was about to protest but thought better of it. He really needed some time to think things over.

Flopping down on his bed face first, Luke wondered what to do. He couldn’t tell anyone; not only would they not believe him, he didn’t want to burden anyone with the knowledge of dark times that had never come. But clearly, they knew something was up. They were only going to get more suspicious when they learned how little he knew about his own life. He didn’t have any memories of this timeline-

Wait.

Closing his eyes, he focused, trying to remember his childhood. At first came Tatooine, the homestead, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen… but then…

He remembered a much gentler sun, a meadow, a planet he thought he had never seen… He remembered running around with Leia, putting flowers in each other’s hair. He remembered his parents laughing kissing.

Rolling over onto his back, he grinned. He knew everything was going to be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mention this in the story, but gradually as Luke spent more time in the new timeline, his memories of the old timeline faded. Bittersweet, but I thought it was a little cruel to leave him the only one who knows about that timeline and the only one with those not so pleasant memories.  
> So anyways, that's it! Kinda short but I'm not very good at long word counts. Also, the future is pretty unrealistically perfect, but what's the point of fanfiction if I can't give everyone ridiculously happy endings?  
> This may not be the complete end for this AU, though, cause I have more ideas I might write out in a collection of one shots, like Luke meeting Rex and Ahsoka and stuff. I don't honestly know if I'll get around to it, so uh, don't hold out too much hope.  
> Thanks so much for all your support! This was the first time I've written a fic since like middle school, and it's been a great experience!


End file.
